Related to modern day squid and octopus, the Orthoceras is an ancient cephalopod that lived in the Paleozoic Era, during the Ordovician period around 480 million years ago. Orthoceras fossils are quite abundant and a popular choice for necklaces, pendants, and decorations. This particular polished specimen was found at a local fossil emporium and caught our attention right away. Contrasting marbleized white shell and black stone emphasizes detail of the cephalopod structure which certainly catches the eye.
Additionally, the Nautilaidea Orthoceras is named for having a shell as straight as a horn, which is sometimes another attractive quality in jewelry design. It's understandable to see how one might see the suture lines as something similar to how an exotic plant stalk or leaf might fossilize, yet the narrowing tube shape displays a distinct three-dimensional tube especially when examining the thinnest portion. The black and white fossil has light marble features in the base rock that are likely fragments from other cephalopods fossilized at the time.
We hope the description of characteristics and features of the Orthoceras helps others identify this fossil in a collection. Holding onto an ancient rock that was once a creature living almost 500 million years ago is difficult to believe it's really so old, but to us this is part of the thrill and excitement hunting for fossils and learning about their origins in the timeline of Earth's history.
